Various methods and driver assistance systems for supporting a driver of a motor vehicle during a driving maneuver are already available on the market. In particular, driver assistance systems are known which support the driver during slow driving maneuvers, for example, when parking the vehicle. Here, a distinction is made between systems which inform the driver of distances to objects in the surroundings of the vehicle, so that the driver may reduce the speed of the vehicle when approaching an object and stop the vehicle if necessary, and semi-automatic and automatic systems.
In semi-automatic driver assistance systems, the surroundings of the motor vehicle are detected, a trajectory for carrying out the driving maneuver is calculated and steering instructions are given to the driver. The longitudinal and transverse guiding continues to rest with the driver of the motor vehicle, however. Furthermore, systems are also known in which either only the longitudinal guiding or only the transverse guiding is automatically carried out by the driver assistance system. Here, in a system in which the transverse guiding rests with the driver, instructions on steering angles are given. In a system in which the longitudinal guiding rests with the driver, instructions for decelerating and for changing from driving forward to driving in reverse are given.
In automatic systems, the surroundings of the motor vehicle are also detected, a trajectory for carrying out the driving maneuver is calculated and the driving maneuver is automatically carried out by the driver assistance system, both with respect to longitudinal as well as transverse guiding.
Regardless of the type of support, it is necessary for the driver to monitor the driving maneuver when it is carried out and, if necessary, intervene by, for example, aborting the driving maneuver if an object is situated in the driving path which, for example, has not been detected by the driver assistance system, or if a moving object moves into the driving path. Alternatively, the driver may also retake control by, for example, setting a steering angle which differs from the preset steering angle for carrying out the driving maneuver, in order, for example, to bypass a potential obstacle.
A method for supporting a driver of a motor vehicle during a parking procedure is discussed in DE 103 24 810 A1. In this method, the transverse guiding of the vehicle is taken over automatically. Actuation of the steering wheel by the driver causes an oversteer of the preset transverse guiding and the automatic parking process is aborted. A disadvantage of the method known from the related art is that each time a driver oversteers, the driving maneuver is aborted. A continuation of the driving maneuver when, for example, the object moves out of the driving path, is not possible. The driving maneuver is also aborted in principle; a continuation of the driving maneuver at a reduced speed, for example, is also not provided.